Robert Kubica turned Montreal horror into victory

One year after surviving a 75g crash at the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix, Robert Kubica returned to Circuit Gilles Villeneuve and won the 2008 race for his first Formula 1 victory and BMW Sauber’s first in the sport.

That result carried extra weight because of what had happened in Montreal 12 months earlier. Kubica had arrived in Canada in 2007 as one of BMW Sauber’s rising drivers after debuting midway through 2006 and taking a podium in only his third start at Monza. By the time the series reached Montreal, he had become a regular points scorer and a central figure for the team.

The race on 10 June 2007 nearly changed everything. Kubica started eighth and was battling Jarno Trulli into the hairpin on lap 27 when he clipped the rear of the Toyota under braking. His BMW Sauber shot into the gravel and smashed into a concrete barrier at a reported 75g.

The violence of the impact tore the car apart. Wheels, nose, sidepods and other debris were scattered across the circuit as the wrecked BMW rolled, hit the opposite wall and finally came to rest on its side. Kubica’s feet were visible through the torn-open nose, yet he escaped with only a mild concussion and a sprained ankle.

He missed the following race at Indianapolis as a precaution, then returned one round later and finished fourth at Magny-Cours. That quick comeback set up an even bigger return when Formula 1 went back to Montreal in 2008.

Coming back to the site of such a major accident was a test in itself, but Kubica was immediately competitive. He qualified second behind Lewis Hamilton and stayed in position as the race turned chaotic. The decisive moment came at the pit-lane exit, where Hamilton missed a red light and eliminated both himself and Kimi Räikkönen.

Kubica took full advantage. He passed team-mate Nick Heidfeld, moved into control of the race and never let go, sealing the only grand prix victory of his Formula 1 career. It also delivered BMW Sauber’s first win and lifted Kubica to the top of the championship on 42 points, four clear of Hamilton and Felipe Massa.